The Clash of the Edinburghs.
Missing Scene or Tag
"Agent McCallister and what brings you down to my lair?" Dr Mallard asked not looking up from the body.
"How did you know it was I?" Riley enquired with a smile.
"Maybe the tap, tap, tap of your cane…..or" as Ducky turned to face the visitor, "The fact Agent Gibbs told me you were in town."
"I bring a present," as he placed the bottle of Macallan on the table.
Ducky smiled a sly smile, "Riley you always knew how to warm the cockles of my heart, that and the knowledge that I can't refuse a touch of the amber liquid and the thoughts of home. So," as he indicated to the desk and a chair, "My guest is going nowhere and I could do with a break. But Riley what brings you to see me?"
"I have a couple of questions to ask, and not sure where to begin, Donald."
"I usually find the beginning is best." As Ducky retrieved two glass his from his drawer and placed on the desk, "Draw up a pew, and then you can fire away."
"Director Shepard," as Riley sipped the whisky, "You did the autopsy? And that of Decker?"
"I did, both were killed by the same gun. Why do you ask?" Ducky questioned.
"No reason," as Riley swirled the amber liquid round the glass letting the legs show, "Just was thinking of old times. Edinburgh you often think of it?"
"Not as much as I used to, but then again I do every Hogmanay. I would love to go back and climb the Pentlands again. But you McCallister, do you think often of Edinburgh?" Ducky began to smile as he sipped the whisky.
"Now Donald, which one?" as Riley began to laugh, "You know I was briefly out-casted to Tristan da Cunha. Oh yes Donald, that British overseas territory, part of the Saint Helena, and Ascension group, the capital, Edinburgh of the Seven Seas, I still wonder why an NCIS agent was dispatched to such an inhospitable place. You realise Dr Mallard, it must be the one of the most remote inhabited locations on Earth, but then Napoleon lived out his exile on St Helena and he called that retched island "this cursed rock", so maybe we had something in common."
"I never knew you then, but I heard it was after that operation in Amsterdam, the one you directed. Was it not to kill Anatoli Zhuko and his companion, but then rumour had it you wanted Vance killed and it was averted by Eli David. Then again in Paris, you sent Jethro and the late Director, to again track down Anatoli, but Jethro killed him and Svetlana escaped."
"You are well informed, but there are always two sides to a story," Riley continued, "I was still the most senior agent at the time in San Diego. Shepard, she was still a probie, still had a lot to learn. Gibbs, he was getting over his wife's death, Franks had resigned, he disagreed with handling of the the Khobar Towers bombing investigation. I took his place, so basically I was in charge."
"The power Riley, is that what you began to enjoy?" Ducky now asked quietly.
"Don't we all? Have you not power down here?"
"Were you not in the San Diego office when Jenny was killed?" Ducky continued.
"I was, but when Director Shepard died and Vance moved from L.A. to Washington that left me in full charge of the San Diego office."
"But you wanted more? Was it not you who divulged the information to Svetlana, were you hoping that Jethro would be killed to?"
"We will never know will you Dr Mallard, Franks got in the way," Riley smiled a sly smile sipping the amber liquid.
"One thing McCallister, you retired, so why come here now, are you out for revenge, is that why Director Vance is lying critical in hospital, and Eli David injured. Are you just not now mentally driven to destroy anyone who was a threat?"
"Is that from your professional opinion, your training as a profiler now? But Dr Mallard, I came to visit you as a fellow Scot, well in name anyway, keep the whisky and think of me sometime," as Riley now rose and downing his glass, placing it on the desk turned and walked from autopsy.
Epilogue 3 Days later Autopsy
"Well McCallister, as they say in Scotland "What goes around comes around," Ducky spoke looking down at the body, "But you never did tell me, or should that be ask me, your other question. Was it, would I do your Post Mortem as we say in Edinburgh, if anything happened to you? Then again we will never know will we."
The End.